Archives for November 2012

Below is a complete list of participants in the 2012 Downtown Elgin Window Wonderland window decorating contest which takes place on Saturday, December 1. Our judging panel, consisting of Crysta Anderson, Mike Butirro, Tom Creighton, Anna Moeller and Tish Powell, will judge the best decorated windows in the categories of Business and Open. Category winners receive $50 in Downtown Elgin Gift Certificates. Best overall window receives a $300 cash prize!

You can also vote in the Win This Window People’s Choice Award voting at www.DowntownElgin.com. Several of our decorated storefront windows will be displaying gift baskets put together by local businesses and area non-profits which you can win just by voting for your favorites!

Win This Window People’s Choice votes are $1 PER VOTE and you can vote as often as you like! Each vote cast is a chance to win your favorite window’s basket in a raffle drawing to be conducted on Friday, December 14. The best part is your votes help support our amazing non-profit organizations. At the end of the voting, each of the participating non-profits will receive the proceeds from all of the votes cast for their windows. The Winning Window will receive their proceeds plus a matching donation from DNA up to $300! How’s that for a “win- win”?

WINDOW WONDERLAND DECORATED WINDOWS

Windows are organized by category and each listing includes the Window Code Number, Business Name, Street Address and Decorating Organization (if applicable):

As part of our Downtown Elgin Window Wonderland event on Saturday, December 1, several of our decorated storefront windows will be displaying gift baskets put together by local businesses and area non-profits which you can win just by voting for your favorites!

Windows displaying the Win This Window logo to the right are eligible for the People’s Choice Award. Voting takes place now thru Wednesday, December 12 at 4PM.

Win This Window People’s Choice votes are $1 PER VOTE and you can vote as often as you like! Each vote cast is a chance to win your favorite window’s basket in a raffle drawing to be conducted on Friday, December 14.

The best part is your votes help support our amazing non-profit organizations. At the end of the voting, each of the participating non-profits will receive the proceeds from all of the votes cast for their windows. The Winning Window will receive their proceeds plus a matching donation from DNA up to $300! How’s that for a “win- win”?

You can also write-in votes for other participating Window Wonderland decorated windows in the People’s Choice Award. Please Note: These windows are not part of the Win This Window People’s Choice competition and are not offering gift baskets in return for your votes. Click the Write-In Vote radio button and the enter the window’s code number and the number of votes you wish to cast.

The 14th Annual Downtown Elgin Window Wonderland returns Saturday, December 1 from Noon-5PM. The theme of this year’s Window Wonderland event is “Win This Window” – a celebration of our Elgin area non-profits and an opportunity for them to fundraise and fun-raise.

HOLIDAY TREASURE HUNT PASSPORT PUZZLE

The Holiday Treasure Hunt Passport Puzzle is a new wonderous Window Wonderland activity. Kids 12-and-under are invited to participate in this unique holiday quest. Collect pieces to a special holiday puzzle by visiting all 12 Window Wonderland Passport Stops. Once the puzzle is assembled, bring it to Elgin Public House, 219 E. Chicago Street, for a free photo with Santa Claus and an entry into a drawing for $50 in downtown Elgin gift certificates. Kids can even keep the puzzle as a memento of their downtown holiday adventure.

WINDOW WONDERLAND ACTIVITIES

The following is a complete list of the holiday fun that awaits visitors on Saturday, December 1:

On December 1, the Window Wonderland judging panel will determine the best decorated windows in the categories of Business and Open and each will receive $50 in Downtown Elgin Gift Certificates. The BEST OVERALL decorated window will receive a $300 cash prize! Winners will be announced in the December 5 edition of the DNA’s Downtown Neighborhood News Top 10 eblast.

Beginning November 29 thru December 12, visitors can vote for their favorite windows (and each window’s corresponding gift basket they would like to win), in the Win This Window People’s Choice Award voting. Votes are $1 per vote online or in person at the DNA. All participating non-profit organizations will receive the total proceeds collected for their window/gift basket from the People’s Choice Award voting so get out and rock the vote!

At the conclusion of the voting process, the window receiving the most People’s Choice votes will receive the total proceeds collected for their window/gift basket PLUS a matching cash donation from DNA up to $300! Gift baskets will then be awarded via raffle drawings from the all of votes cast for each basket.

The Downtown Neighborhood Association (DNA) ofElgin is seeking a Downtown Economic Development Director. Under the supervision of the DNA Board of Directors, this highly skilled self-starter will be responsible for driving economic growth in downtown Elgin through property and business owner engagement, strategic resource coordination and strong analytical and reporting skills.

Responsibilities include identification and recruitment of new office and retail tenants to downtown Elgin; retention and expansion of existing business tenants; providing steering guidance to Economic Development volunteer committee and interfacing with key City of Elgin staff and departments.

A 4-year degree in Planning, Business, or a related field or equivalent experience in professional downtown real estate development and/or planning is preferable. Knowledge of downtown mixed-use development as well as municipal zoning & code issues, urban planning, historic preservation, business financing and/or Main Street revitalization philosophies is highly desirable. This job will operate out of downtown Elgin.

The deadline for downtown Elgin businesses and Elgin area community and non-profit groups to participate in this year’s Downtown Elgin Window Wonderland event on December 1 has been extended until Wednesday, November 14. Please download the participation form that is appropriate to your business or group’s needs, complete and then return to the DNA office, 2 Douglas Avenue. You can also fax completed participation forms to 847-488-1449 or scan and e-mail to downtownelgin@gmail.com.

Although there is no formal decorating theme for this year’s Window Wonderland, the subtext of the event is “Win This Window”. If you are looking for some decorating ideas for your storefront windows you could include campy “game show” motifs – such as Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy or Family Feud – with a holiday twist. NOTE: Window Wonderland judges will not have “How Well Window Fits the Event Theme” as a judging category on their score sheets. They will solely judge on the best decorated windows – not on theme.

MORE ABOUT WINDOW WONDERLAND

The 14th Annual Downtown Elgin Window Wonderland returns Saturday, December 1 from Noon-5PM. The theme of this year’s Window Wonderland event is “Win This Window”. Here are some of the ways your business or non-profit organization can participate:

DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES:

Window Decorating: Downtown businesses and buildings with storefront windows can enter your window into our window decorating contest. You can either decorate your own window or reach out to a local community group to decorate for you. $50 Downtown Elgin Gift Certificates will be awarded to the best decorated windows in the Open, Business and Children’s categories. The best overall decorated window as determined by our judging panel receives a $300 cash prize!

Passport Stop: On the day of the event your business can offer holiday goodies or activities for kids to enjoy. As a participating stop you will also hand out a special puzzle piece, which when completed will enable kids to earn a chance at a very special holiday treat. Passport stops will be promoted in our Holiday Treasure Hunt Passport available at downtown businesses and online.

Gift Basket Donor: Donate merchandise, gift certificates, treats and other items to be assembled into holiday gift baskets that will be placed inside decorated windows to benefit a local non-profit of your choosing. Businesses can also volunteer their storefront windows to host a non-profit organization’s gift basket and team up to help raise money for them in our Win That Window People’s Choice Award contest.

Community Sponsor: Become a Window Wonderland community sponsor for as little as $50. Your business name will be listed as a sponsor in our Holiday Treasure Hunt Passport and on our online People’s Choice Voting Page. Other sponsor options with premiere level marketing benefits are also available.

Please contact Jason Pawlowski at 847-488-1456 or e-mail jpawlowski@downtownelgin.com for more details on Window Wonderland business participation or event sponsorship.

ELGIN COMMUNITY GROUPS/NON-PROFIT ORGS

Window Decorating:Your community group or non-profit organization can volunteer to decorate an available storefront window or team up with an existing downtown business to decorate their storefront windows.

Gift Baskets: Work with your group or organization’s members, volunteers and sponsors to put together a festive holiday gift basket of merchandise, products, gift certificates, treats and more to be displayed inside your organization’s decorated window that Window Wonderland visitors will have a chance to win by casting their votes for your window. Here’s how it works:

“WIN THIS WINDOW” PEOPLE’S CHOICE VOTING

From November 26-December 10, visitors can vote for their favorite windows, as well as the gift baskets they would like to win, in the People’s Choice Award voting for $1 per vote online or in person at the DNA. All participating non-profit organizations will receive the total proceeds collected for their window/gift basket from the People’s Choice Award voting.

At the conclusion of the voting process, the window receiving the most People’s Choice votes will receive the total proceeds collected for their window/gift basket PLUS a matching cash donation from DNA up to $300! Gift baskets will then be awarded via raffle drawings from the votes/entries received for each basket.

If your community group or non-profit organization would like to participate in this year’s Window Wonderland, please contact Jason Pawlowski at 847-488-1456 or e-mail jpawlowski@downtownelgin.com.

WINDOW WONDERLAND ACTIVITIES

The Holiday Treasure Hunt Passport Puzzle is a new wonderous Window Wonderland activity. This year, kids will be invited on a Downtown Holiday Treasure Hunt in search of nine puzzle pieces available at various downtown businesses and passport stops. Once the quest is complete, kids are eligible for a grand prize drawing of a $100 Visa Gift Card!

In addition to the passport puzzle and window decorating contest, Window Wonderland visitors will enjoy Santa’s Crew Real Live Reindeer at the Civic Parking Lot at Highland and Douglas Avenues, Chestnut Roasting in front of the Tower Building, Horse Drawn Carriage Rides (location TBD), Photos with Santa Claus (location TBD), Live Nativity Scene (location TBD), 10th Anniversary activities at The Centre of Elgin, live music and entertainment at various downtown venues and more. The day culminates with the City of Elgin’s annual tree lighting ceremony near City Hall, 150 Dexter Court.

There are great things happening in downtown Elgin and the Downtown Neighborhood Association (DNA) of Elgin is at the heart of it all!

The DNA is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit, volunteer-driven organization focused on enhancing the economic vitality of downtown Elgin through promotions, special events, economic development and historic preservation. DNA utilizes the National Main Street’s 4-Point Approach to downtown revitalization and is a designated Illinois Main Street Community.

Membership is a critical component of our organization’s annual funding and long-term financial stability. Our members help us to carry out the DNA’s mission of advocating for and revitalizing downtown Elgin.

Top 10 Reasons to Support the Organization that Supports Downtown Elgin in 2013

1. Business Recruitment – helped nearly 20 new or relocated businesses open their doors in downtown Elgin this year to support economic growth and a diversified tax base

2. Design Services – began the process of developing a set of Downtown Design Guidelines and creation of a National Register district of historically contributing downtown buildings to take advantage of federal and state rehabilitation tax credits

3. Downtown Revitalization – educated the community about the value of a thriving downtown and DNA’s role in the process through public meetings, speaking engagements and Downtown Brainstorms

4. Economic Restructuring – administered City economic assistance programs for the Central Business District including Projecting Sign and Facade Improvement grant programs

8. Member & Community Partnerships – enhanced existing and new relationships with community partners via Elgin Home for the Holidays; promoted well over 1,000 member, City and other downtown events via our various communication resources

9. Special Events – organized a slate of community enriching downtown special events of all sizes from monthly Out to Lunch events to our weekly Harvest Market to the annual 4th of July Parade and more

Need one more reason to join as a DNA Member in 2013? Okay, how does ringing in the New Year with a brand new iPad 2 sound?

Now through January 14, 2013, join or renew your DNA Individual Membership for $30/annually or Family Membership for $50/annually and you will be entered into a drawing to win a new iPad 2 (16MB, WiFi) as well as other great prizes throughout the holiday season!

iPad Drawing Rules and Restrictions: iPad drawing to be conducted on January 16, 2013 and will consist of one entry per each new and renewing 2013 DNA Individual and Family Members who sign up between November 7, 2012 thru January 14, 2013. Downtown Business, Property Owner and Community Business Members are not part of the iPad drawing – Individual and Family Members ONLY!

On Tuesday, November 13, the Elgin Food Co-Op Committee presents an Informational Meeting from 7-8:30pm at The Centre of Elgin, 100 Symphony Way, in downtown Elgin. This pre-membership meeting will present to potential cooperative members about:

– What is a cooperative?

– Vision for the Elgin Food Coop

– How you can get involved?

There will also be food tastings from local farmers and food producers. The meeting is FREE and open to the public.

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